Tampa-based non-profit rescues 34 St. Petersburg church members in Israel
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - After days of rushing to bomb shelters, 34 members of two St. Petersburg churches are finally on their way home from Israel.
The group, comprised of members from GT Church Assembly of God and Suncoast Cathedral, arrived in Israel last Tuesday for a tour of the Holy Land. What was intended to be a spiritual journey quickly turned into trying to find help to evacuate, as the conflict with Iran intensified, closing airports and barricading major roadways.
RELATED: Grey Bull Rescue founder in the Middle East helping to facilitate evacuations
What they're saying:
"In many respects, it's been frightening because I've never been in a war before," Dr. Randy Helms, pastor at GT Church Assembly of God, said. "I've never had missiles shot at me."
The reality of the situation first set in during a baptism service at the Jordan River, when air raid sirens interrupted the ceremony. Helms said guides quickly ushered the group to a shelter.
"It was startling, frightening," he said.
It would be the first of nearly 20 times the group was forced to seek cover during their trip.
"It sends shivers down your spine when you hear it," Helms said, speaking from a bus as the group exited the country. "We were told we have one and a half minutes to get to shelter when you hear the siren. We heard bombs exploding. Literally, missiles were shot down over Tiberias while we were in the bunkers."
Helms said the group exhausted all efforts by reaching out to the U.S. State Department, their representatives and the mayor’s office.
"Everybody was very sympathetic. No one could help us. One of the members of our tour had experience with an organization that you've probably heard of called Grey Bull Rescue. They're from Tampa, and she contacted them, and they immediately began to put plans in place to evacuate us," he said.
READ: Tampa nonprofit rescues American couple from cartel area in Mexico: 'We were afraid'
Dig deeper:
The veteran-led nonprofit’s Founder and Chairman, Bryan Stern, said the current situation presents unique challenges compared to typical rescue missions.
"This one is a little bit different because of the diversified scope of the problem," Stern said. "Normally it's a country with closed airspace and a country with missiles landing. Here, I have folks all over the place."
Stern noted that his team is rescuing several hundred people just this week, but stressed that their mission is "very, very far from over," as hundreds of additional requests for help remain pending.
"It’s all donor money. Frankly, it’s really hard to fundraise," Stern said.
The St. Pete group successfully crossed out of Israel Tuesday. Due to security reasons, their specific travel route and expected arrival time in Florida have not been disclosed.
Welcomed news to their family and friends back home waiting for their arrival.
"I’m probably going to start crying," Madison Redmond, whose parents are on the trip, said about seeing them when they return. "That'll be the first moment of relief, but just so much, just tell them how much I love them and I'm so grateful that they're home."
Despite the harrowing experience, Helms said the group has maintained a sense of calm.
"We've never lost hope," Helms said. "Thank everybody for their prayers. We're safe. God bless Grey Bull Rescue. They're our heroes."
The Source: Information in this story from Grey Bull Rescue and Pastor Helms.